Billionaire Big Tech mogul Bill Gates declared that artificial intelligence may be a powerful tool to utilize to counter both “digital misinformation” and “political polarization.”
Interviewed by German news outlet Handelsblatt, the Microsoft founder cited the Jan. 6 Capitol incident as the basis for his concern. He also threw in a dose of “election denial” as part of his argument for the existence of polarization.
Bill Gates: AI Can Help Solve ‘Digital Misinformation’ Problem. IMO This man is a problem for our government. https://t.co/QIMZh3TEju
— lori peterson (@sophieblack) February 13, 2023
While he asserted “we can’t blame AI for that,” the ideas that are the basis for these supposed issues “may have been magnified by digital channels.” Gates concluded that technology could have served an auxiliary function in spreading these beliefs.
He told the interviewer that “you’ll have to take AI into consideration” if you want to address the problem of digital misinformation. He also described using artificial intelligence to address so-called “confirmation bias.”
This is defined as the tendency to focus only on data that validates our preconceived notions or cherry-pick facts that align with our beliefs. Some ascribe confirmation bias as explaining why people with differing viewpoints may view the same event and draw dramatically differing conclusions.
While people certainly practice this and no one is immune to warping information to fit their narrative, Gates is wholly unconcerned with one side of the political spectrum.
When leftists filter events and data through their personal biases to reach conclusions, that is perfectly acceptable. It is only when conservatives see information as backing up their beliefs when AI must be considered as a way to control what we see and hear.
Gates further categorized “climate change” as the primary threat to humanity and demanded more government measures to combat its causes. The billionaire said that nations must take steps to eliminate fossil fuel usage and the accompanying carbon dioxide emissions.
He described taking new action as “not optional” and asserted that the world must use “clean energy” and “green energy” solutions to reduce carbon levels.
Gates also predicted the possibility that the Russia-Ukraine war may “energize the recognition” of the necessity of curbing oil and gas consumption to combat carbon emissions.
From COVID vaccines to political differences to global warming, Gates is seen by some as a savant whose advice should be treated with respect and reverence. To many conservatives, however, he is a political opportunist who would be better served leaving governance to others.
